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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · root · vault · wound · prune · date · chair · mine

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. prune — to trim
  3. date — the fruit
  4. track — a path
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. vault — a safe
  8. root — of a word
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. track — to keep track
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. root — the cause
  14. chair — a leader
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. track — a song
  18. mine — for digging
  19. wound — an injury
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. prune — to trim
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. prune — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com